Is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Worth It?
And the Gingerbread House Tour!
My mom’s birthday is right around the start of December, so we often take a Christmas trip together, as I recently mentioned in my article about making Christmas magic as a DINK.
I’m also a big Disney fan and love experiencing their themed holiday parties, as I wrote about earlier this year after attending the Oogie Boogie Bash.
Put those together, and what do you get? Me taking my mom to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party!
So is it a magical ho ho holiday event perfect for attending with your loved ones? Or is it humbug bash only fit for your worst enemies?
I’ve applied my extensive experience attending Disney Holiday parties to answer that very question and let you know how you can best enjoy it if you do opt in. Plus if you stay until the end you’ll get my exclusive guide to navigating the Disney Christmas Tree and Gingerbread House Crawl!
What is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party?
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is an event occurring at some Disney parks in November and December. Attendees must buy tickets in advance, and the parks where it is occurring shut down to general guests a couple hours before the party starts.
It features unique holiday decorations, food, and events and… all of the 2025 tickets are sold out. So consider this an explanation and review for next year.
If it sounds like your cup of eggnog, then you can plan in advance for the 2026 festivities.
Before the Big Bash
Because I have an annual pass (and I bought my mom a day ticket), we went into Magic Kingdom early in the day. Party days are usually the least crowded days in the park, I assume since general guests don’t love being kicked out early, so we knocked out all the rides before the party even started.
That being said if you don’t mind getting kicked out early, attending on a party day could actually be a hack to smaller crowds even if you don’t have a ticket for the evening festivities.
Whether you’ve signed up for the party or not, there is still tons of holiday theming to make your visit special. If you want to really take it all in, I highly recommend enjoying a full day before the party.
There is simply not enough time between 7 PM and midnight to ride everything and see the fireworks and watch the parade, so you have to make big choices. I save Jingle Cruise for nighttime because it’s festive and adorable with the night lights, but honestly you can ride it in daylight and still see most of the overlay.
Our Pre-Party Day
We slept in at the Cabins at Fort Wilderness where we were staying. After enjoying coffee on the porch, we hopped on the boat to Magic Kingdom.
We chose to make the most of the lighter crowds by doing some holiday shopping at The Emporium at Magic Kingdom. We rode several attractions, enjoyed a surprisingly amazing chicken sandwich at Cosmic Ray’s, and took PhotoPass pictures by the Main Street Christmas Tree.
In the afternoon we rode the monorail to the Contemporary Resort to see their gingerbread display. They also offer a pop-up bakery and a gingerbread martini.
I’ll have my guide to the Christmas Tree and Gingerbread crawl at the end. After browsing we headed to the lakeside beach bar and enjoyed a couple of gin and tonics by the water.
After 3 PM, there’s a ferry from the Contemporary back to Fort Wilderness, which we used to return to our cabin and rest before the Christmas party.
How Do You Get Into Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party?
We re-entered Magic Kingdom around 5:30 PM. Because we already had day tickets, we didn’t need to wait in the long 4 PM party check-in line.
If you already have park entry during the day, you can pick up your party wristband, map, and ornament at the back of the park near Pirates of the Caribbean. This is far easier than standing at the front gate with everyone else.
What Does Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Offer?
One of the biggest draws for me is the exclusive holiday food items. Mobile ordering will be your friend here so you can pick up food without wasting all of your party time in line.
You won’t be able to do everything, at least not on one ticket, so you’ll have to make some choices. I made myself a mission list to check off of all the party offerings:
- Ride Jingle Cruise at night
- Collect all five cookie plus holiday beverage stops
- See Santa
- See Donald, Daisy, and Scrooge McDuck
- Watch the fireworks
- Catch the parade on Main Street with the snow
We skipped the 8 PM parade, though we saw parts of it while walking over to ride the Jingle Cruise. It was great timing because most people were watching the parade so we had the festive take on the Jungle Cruise (somewhat) to ourselves.
The fireworks at 10 PM were gorgeous, as per usual, with special holiday theming. If you don’t care about projections, watch the fireworks from behind the castle near Gaston’s Tavern as they explode right over you and it’s so much less crowded.
After that, we snagged a Main Street spot for the 11 PM parade, which was still busy but way less chaotic than the 8 PM.
If you want a calmer parade spot, go to Frontierland near Pecos Bill. There’s no snow but fewer people.
After the crowds thinned we grabbed a late snack at Casey’s Corner, then took the ferry back to Fort Wilderness and golf carted home around midnight.
So Is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Worth the Ticket?
Honestly I’m not sure. The parade on Main Street is magical, especially with the snow, and the fireworks are absolutely beautiful plus the exclusive foods and ornaments are all delightful.
That being said, these parties are expensive, and unless you really plan ahead you will not get your money’s worth. I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone, but if you truly love Disney and holiday festivities, as I do, this is a night you won’t want to miss.
These are just my personal thoughts from someone who’s been to more of these parties than I care to admit. Everyone has different priorities, but this was ours, and it made for a pretty magical night with my mom.
Tipsy’s Gingerbread and Christmas Tree Crawl
As promised, I am sharing my route to see ALL the trees and gingerbread houses using (mostly) the free transportation Disney offers. I also include food and drinks you should get at each stop along the way!
